About Ayana

Ayana Taylor is a public servant, organizational leader, and lifelong Windsor resident committed to advancing equity, opportunity, and inclusive leadership across education, the workforce, and the community. She currently serves as President of the Windsor Board of Education, where she provides strategic governance, champions student-centered policies, and works to ensure equitable outcomes for all learners.

A woman with curly hair smiling, sitting at a desk with a nameplate that reads 'AYANA TAYLOR, Vice President', in front of a wall decorated with framed photographs.

A group of five women and one young girl talking in a school hallway. The women are dressed casually and professionally, smiling and engaging in conversation.

First appointed to the Board of Education in 2018, Ayana has since been elected multiple times and has held several leadership roles, including Secretary, Curriculum Chair, and Vice Chair. In recognition of her governance expertise, she earned the Certified Board of Education designation from the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. She is also a proud member of the 2024 Class of The Campaign School at Yale, further strengthening her commitment to effective, ethical public leadership.

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Professionally, Ayana is the Manager of Culture and Engagement for a utility company, where she leads initiatives focused on employee engagement, workplace culture, and inclusion across a complex, mission-driven organization. With more than a decade of experience spanning diversity, equity, and inclusion, talent acquisition, social services, and community engagement, she brings a systems-level lens to building environments where people and organizations thrive.

Four women and a young girl, all smiling, standing together in a kitchen.

Ayana is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and a lifelong member of Metropolitan AME Zion Church in Hartford, where she serves as Director of Youth and was honored as the 2023 Lay Person of the Year. She has received numerous awards for her servant leadership, including the Town of Windsor Human Relations Commission Bridge Builder Award and recognition as a 100 Women of Color Award recipient in 2019.

A woman and two teenagers, a girl and a boy, standing together indoors at a celebration or event. The girl is wearing a purple satin dress, the woman is wearing a floral dress, and the boy is wearing a blue dress shirt. They are smiling and standing in front of balloons and a decorated room.

Above all, Ayana is most proud of her role as a mother to her two teenaged children, Chloe and Steven, who continue to inspire her advocacy, leadership, and commitment to community.